She
didn’t wait much longer before rushing into the room and tackling into the
mannequin-woman.
Dave had to carefully prop himself
up to view what happened next, as his sensation returned. The mannequin made to
grab Bira, but Bira maintained her footing and moved to the side when the
mannequin approached. Bira jumped forward, and Dave finally noticed the hatchet
the incisor was holding as she brought it down into the top of the mannequin’s
head.
Light streamed out from the wound and the
mannequin clutched at the axe, falling backwards. It took Dave a moment to
realize that the light was flowing like water, dripping down onto the ground.
The mannequin fell onto her back and
lay, breathing slowly for a moment. She looked over at Dave. She stopped
breathing, her vacant eyes somehow focused on him.
The mannequin-woman was dead. Bira stood
before the body, triumphantly, panting. She was wearing a black hooded
sweatshirt, with the hood pulled up, and blue jeans. She looked surprisingly
normal. Until one noticed her teeth and too-pale skin, at least. It was the
first time Dave had seen her in the light. Somehow he’d figured the ultraviolet
rays would burn her the way sunlight was supposed to do to vampires. She looked
fine though.
Bira pulled the hatchet out, white
liquid dripping from it in streams, raining to the floor. She ran her finger
along the edge of the bloody hatchet and licked her finger. Then she looked
over at Dave. “Oh,” she said.
“What?”
“I forgot you were there,” she said,
“How embarrassing.” She did look a little bashful. Dave could almost
swear he saw her blushing. “Could you look away, for just a second?”
“Uhm.”
“Or, nevermind,” Bira said, “Yeah,
ok, sorry, that was weird of me to ask…” She paused and rubbed the back of her
head through her hood. “Hey, on another note why would you go breaking into
rooms in a house that you were told would keep you safe! The door was locked
for a reason. To keep nosy kids like you out!”
“What was that?” Dave asked,
pointing at the dead woman.
“A shade,” Bira said, “Though she
was supposed to be asleep for now. I was going to awaken her and ask her all
sorts of questions but that’s not really going to happen now, is it?”
“A shade?” Dave asked.
“Can’t you tell?” Bira asked, “With
the way she was stealing your soul and bleeding light everywhere?”
“That’s blood?” Dave asked, “Wait,
stupid question. I already figured that out.”
“Of course it’s her blood,” Bira
said anyway, pausing, “How do you like it here? Other than the shade in the bonus
room, I’m sure it’s cozy. I like hanging out here between peeping missions
sometimes.”
“Cozy?” Dave asked, “Peeping
missions?”
“I have to keep tabs on everyone,”
Bira said, “And it’s tiring to rely on doing it psychically.”
“Oh,” Dave said.
“Hey, listen, uh,” Bira said, “I was
in the area when she attacked you, which is how I came so quickly. You’re
pretty lucky I was nearby. But... I was on my way elsewhere. And now I’m hungry.
So…”
“You’ve gotta get going?” Dave
asked.
“Something like that,” Bira said,
“But first.” She looked over at the body, “If you wouldn’t mind.”
“Incisors don’t like people watching
them eat?”
“Not just anyone!” Bira said, “I mean, I hardly know you!”
“I’ll just go,” Dave said. He was
still feeling shaken anyway. He really didn’t want to see Bira… when she was
eating, or whatever.
NEXT PAGE
NEXT PAGE
No comments:
Post a Comment